People Are Multidimensional

In this age of technology, we all need to get our heads around the fact that people’s habits are changing, and what would have been inconceivable as a method of connecting with potential donors a few years ago is now commonplace.

I have often heard comments from potential clients wondering if monetising their video content really is achievable, the technology is here to enable it, but there is a level of disbelief that people will pay to watch video that in the past has been offered online for free.

People’s habits are changing. The more organisations use pay-per-view technology, the more people will become accustomed to it. And if your story resonates with your target audience, they will pay to see it particularly if they know that their payment will be directly assisting the cause and that they are therefore playing their part in the solution.

This article by Geoff Livingston demonstrates that people are being selective about what they watch and are no longer constrained by conventional free-to-air TV. NFPs and NGOs should take advantage of this shift in consumer behaviour, tell their stories through video and montetise that content as an additional fundraising channel.

People Are MultidimensionalSometimes when you hear nonprofits discuss donors, you would think that people are one dimensional. They only read blogs. Or they only respond to mail solicitations.

This one dimensional approach towards donors belies the way people use media.

People aren’t so simple as to single track their media usage. In fact, if you consider the way most people watch TV these days they are doing so with a laptop, tablet or smartphone in hand. This has given rise to social TV, the back channel of conversation on social media during, before, and after programs.

Social TV is just one example of a very valid concept: people receive information across diverse media sources, such as ads on public transportation to the internet on their smartphones. The concept of multichannel marketing–or what used to be called integrated communications in the ’90s–holds weight now more than ever.

BlackBaud released an infographic last week that highlighted the importance of cultivating online donors with more than just social media or email. The data shows that online donors who give through multiple channels are worth up to 3x more than single channel donors (specifically, donors acquired by mail or email).

Strong social media based online fundraising programs integrate other traditional aspects of communication to achieve the desired result. This isn’t risky. Multichannel efforts simply match the reality of the way your cause’s potential investors interact with media.